Is it just my 2yr old who is like this?

[jdsmummy]

Ds is driving me nuts.
I feel I cant take him anywhere. When we go to the park all he does is sit in the swing. We could be there for 2 hours and he would not willingly come off the swing. He wont go on any thing else and when we have to go he has a fit.
Today I took him to a park without a swing and he saw some other kids ride on toys and had to play with them. The parents said it was ok, then when they were going and took the toys back he had a screaming fit. I just had to leave.
He has just had a tantrum cause he wants 1 shoe on and his hat.
I just feel like he will have a fit at the slightest thing and have even been round a friends house and had a tantrum over nothing. I could not calm him down and had to leave.
I know kids his age have tantrums but I feel like I have no control and he screams so loud its like someones hurting him.
He can be fun and loving but when he gets like this I just dont know what to do.
I feel sometimes like I have the worst behaved child and that im a terrible mother.
Is it just my child that is like this?

[threepigs]

It definately isn't just your two year old :hugs::hugs:

My two year old is a gorgeous girl and is mostly lovely but especially of late if something isn't going in the direction she wants she throws herself on the floor screaming and if I pick her up she bucks and kicks and hits me in the face.

DDs tanties are always exacerbated by tiredness, hunger or overstimulation but having said that she can always just throw one in for good measure.

I do exactly what you do - pick her up and take her home or to the car or to another room or if we are at home I leave her where she is and take myself somewhere else.

If I'm out (eg. park/shops) I just pick her up regardless and keep talking to her calmly and say things like "I know you want to stay and play but we need to go now".

IMO (for what it's worth) I think staying calm and purposeful is the best way to go. They are just trying to express their dissatisfaction and they don't yet know any better way of doing it and things that seem trivial to us are really important to them (eg. wearing one shoe and a hat :yes:).

Your toddler (and mine) will soon learn how to express themselves. Sounds to me like you're doing a great job :hugs:

[lotti]

Everything the previous post says. I also try to give them a warning. So its not just like one minute your on the swing, the at any moment you can be taken off.

You say "look theres other kids so we will have to share" " we will be leaving the park in 5 mins, what fun things do you want to do when we get home?"

I know they are little, but they do get the tones. I say if you can stop a tantrum at 2 you will see less of a bigger one at 3! lol

Ofcourse I think sticking to your guns is the biggest thing, if you said you were leaving then leave.

You sound like your doing great and your sweetheart is perfectly normal. :thumbsup:

[jdsmummy]

thanks, I just find it really hard when you see other children playing so nicely and mine is kicking and screaming.
I hate having to leave but when I cant calm him down its the only option.
I love taking him to the park and having fun with him but sometimes it ends up as less fun and more screaming.
Makes me want to stay home!
It dosent help being pg and more emotional than usual.

[lotti]

Maybe its bad timing aswell. Are you out more in the afternoon? I find that mine are good for a nap pretty much straight after lunch.

[NewBeginnings]

Nope I swear your OP was just written about my DS.

He is TERRIBLE! He has an attitude that drives me up the wall.... He throws tantrums over the smallest thing.... will go out of his way after I've told him off... or walked away to stop myself from utterly loosing it at him... and start to hit me, or throw things at me.

He wants things his way... and his way only!

On bad days.. he throws tantrums from 5am in the morning,... the moment he wakes up... til 11pm at night.... when he finally goes down! No day sleep... no break... it's just one tantrum after the other... for no reason. And no matter what I try or offer nothing stops him.

Other days though he is as pleasant as pleasant can be.

It is so hard to stay calm when they are doing it... and it's so incredibly frustrating... and people saying "it's a stage they'll grow out of it" only frustrates me more! :o

I'm not much help! But know it's not just your child! :hugs::hugs:

[Chickadee]

All those tantrums, you can almost see your kids trying to figure out their new independence and boundaries. It's compounded by the fact that their sense of time is still not good, so promises to come back another day don't mean much to them. I know it's frustrating to hear this, but it IS normal and most kids do grow out of it.

Best things I found to cope were to prevent tantrums as others have mentioned - by trying to plan activities out during her best hours, and by giving her a 5 minute count down to the time we need to leave. Otherwise, be consistent. If you decide not to give in to the tantrum, then don't ever give in. I always waited DD out. After a few minutes of me ignoring her she'd wind down a little as she looked to see why I wasn't talking to her, at which point I'd suggest a distraction. This might take 2 or 3 tries.

2 year olds may be changing their sleep patterns and dropping a nap, so tiredness around this time can be really bad and helping them get a good night sleep can make a difference. So can looking at their food and cutting out colours, preservatives, etc.

Good luck. And just wait till they hit 3!